The present invention concerns a sabot-projectile arrangement which is ejected from a gun barrel for the purpose of combatting actively and passively reacting armor, and more particularly to a projectile which includes a first and a second projectile, each having a different coefficient of air resistance (c.sub.w), a discarding sabot composed of segments which are discarded after the projectile leaves a gun barrel, such segments defining a receptacle for accommodating the first and the second projectile with their longitudinal axes flush behind one another in order to follow one another in a spaced relationship on a common trajectory; and form locking means defining a form locking connection between the receptacle and each of the two projectiles, wherein the form locking connection existing between the leading first projectile disposed in the receptacle and the segments of the sabot is released earlier than when the segments are separated from the trailing second projectile after the sabot-projectile arrangement leaves a gun barrel.
An arrangement of this type is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 3,207,220, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,502. This publication also describes means for assuring that the kinetic energy projectile disposed in the front, when seen in the direction of flight, remains in front even during free flight of the kinetic energy projectiles. For this purpose, the two types of projectiles differ in their respective coefficient of air resistance (c.sub.w). The leading projectile is intended to initiate the active or passive reaction in a target area and thus assure that the second projectile can become effective at the target substantially without interference.
This known arrangement has the drawback that the axial spacing between the two projectiles increases over the entire trajectory. Interference impressed on the one and/or the other of the two projectiles strongly influences whether the projectile flying in second position will indeed hit the target area in which the preceding projectile has done its preparatory work.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 3,127,002 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,000 discloses a sabot-projectile arrangement projectiles in which fly one behind the other and whose c.sub.w coefficients can be adapted to one another along the trajectory, with the projectiles being connected together by means of a cable. This arrangement requires considerable manufacturing expenses and is subject to malfunction.